The words “In a Slump,” “Slumped Over” and “Slumping” do not bring happy images to mind.
Once in a while, though, seemingly out of nowhere, we find ourselves in the downward trajectory of a slump.
Positive performance, growth, productivity, the body’s mental and physical joie de vivre enter what feels like endless decline.
Whether it is national economic conditions – “The market’s in a slump.”
Or I haven’t won a match in my American Pool Players (APA) League for over 15 weeks – no matter how much I practice. Yikes!
Or we see ourselves with extreme rounded shoulders in a photo taken at our desk or enjoying dinner with friends and wonder…”How could I have forgotten to sit up straight? Why am I so slumped over?”
Here are a few Slump Recovery Suggestions:
1. Acknowledge that the slump currently is real.
2. Detach from it as much as possible…”This slump is not who I really am. Ebb and flow happens in life”
3. Change any self-berating talk. That tends to dig a deeper hole.
4. Look for even the littlest thing in or about the slump for which we can be grateful.
5. Patiently give full awareness to re-learning even smallest success actions related to positive performance of the activity… “Shoulder blades back and down. Gently open front of the chest. Sit tall. Breathe.”
6. Keep setting our goals.
7. Look at what we want. Not what we don’t want.
8. Know without a doubt that a brighter future is ahead.
9. Believe. Persist. Stick with what we need to do. Find our Grit.
10. Apply famed neuroscientist, Angela Lee Duckworth’s quote about Grit as vehicle for overcoming any slump or obstacle.
“Grit is sticking with your future day in, day out … and working really hard to make that future a reality.”
After putting these 10 Suggestions to work…I’ll let you know when victory in my APA pool playing returns. WF!
